Dark Wake

A lonely recluse lives a recurring nightmare – he is trapped in a cycle where large demonic creatures devour him over and over again.

In the wake of Halloween and a the revival of some awesome monster movies and shows, Abdul Ali brings us a terrifying nightmare from a lonely recluse, featuring an imaginative set of creatures. Trapped in a cycle, his only hope of escaping is a strange being who speaks to him through a hole in the wall. Not quite human, its face is scarred and worn. But it’s intentions are unclear – does it want to help or harm?

ADVERTISEMENT

The film tells a simplified story that is intended to be a small vignette within a much larger world. It includes only a few key elements: 2 characters, a single location and some really strange creatures. Shot in a bedroom over 3 days with a RED Epic and a fantastic cast and crew, the film required a significant amount of post-production work due to the creature effects involved.

I had been thinking about making a short film for a long time, and finally decided to jump in with this idea. It brings together so many things that I love: story-telling, horror, unusual creatures and strange worlds.

While the film might extend a little longer than we’d like, and perhaps pends in flow through its slight repetitions, we are still curiously drawn to the bizarre situation, and more so by its fantastic creature creations. Drawing a curious line in between some of Guillermo Del Toro’s most memorable creatures and the weird Yellow-Eyed Devil in the FX Series Legion, Abdul and his visual effects team found the perfect balance that reaches beyond our nightmares. Certainly breaks the imaginative where these creatures will now become your nightmares.